Visitor Counter

Visitors Since Blog Created in March 2010

Click Below to:

Add Blog to Favorites

Coyotes-Wolves-Cougars.blogspot.com

Grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars/ mountain lions,bobcats, wolverines, lynx, foxes, fishers and martens are the suite of carnivores that originally inhabited North America after the Pleistocene extinctions.
This site invites research, commentary, point/counterpoint on that suite of native animals (predator and prey) that inhabited The Americas circa 1500-at the initial point of European exploration and subsequent colonization.
Landscape ecology, journal accounts of explorers and frontiersmen, genetic evaluations of museum animals, peer reviewed 20th and 21st century research on various aspects of our "Wild America" as well as subjective commentary from expert and layman alike. All of the above being revealed and discussed with the underlying goal of one day seeing our Continent rewilded.....Where big enough swaths of open space exist with connective corridors to other large forest, meadow, mountain, valley, prairie, desert and chaparral wildlands.....Thereby enabling all of our historic fauna, including man, to live in a sustainable and healthy environment. - Blogger Rick

Before initiating my blog in March, one of my primary focus points in previous emailings to my growing list of biologists, geneticists, researchers, students, outdoorsmen and interested laymen was the makeup and geographical status of the Gray Wolf, Eastern Wolf, Red Wolf, Coyote and Eastern Coyote(Coywolf) in North America.............................Were Eastern Coyotes a separate species from it's Western cousin? Is the Eastern Wolf the same as the Red Wolf and in fact is the Eastern Wolf a separate species from the Gray Wolf?

The esteemed researchers who I have come to know and respect actively(with vigor and facts) debate amongst themselves these very questions posed above.

In this posting, Linda Rutledge of Trent University helps bring into focus these challenging and insightful questions and theories surrounding what types of wild canids are roaming the USA, Canada, Mexico and Central America................................I cannot get enough information on this topic as it impacts the whole historical predator and prey question..........................what wild Canids are best equipped to fulfill their historical functions of preying on Deer, Elk, Buffalo, Caribou, Moose and Beaver.................................what wild Canids are best equipped to fulfill their historical functions of preying on squirrels, rabbits, mice, voles and the other small herbivores that occupy our forests and grasslands?

Another fine Trent University researcher, Tyler Wheeldon bringing to life via slide show how the Wolves occupying the Northern Great Lakes region are primarily hybrids of Gray(C.lupus) and Eastern(C.lycaon) wolves......................with perhaps the initial hybridization event occuring during the early European contact period AD 1500 thru 1800.

Tyler reinforces that there is no evidence that Western Coyotes and Gray Wolves hybridize..................while Eastern Wolves and Coyotes can and often do(especially when Eastern Wolves are under stress and human persecution.......................................

Other revelations include questioning whether the Gray Wolf population is accurately counted when currently Great Lakes Wolves are included in that count and with Wheeldon postulating that those Great Lakes Wolves are not pure Grays.....................................

Both with the previous posted Linda Rutlege slide show and now Todd's fine work, I always go back to the question of whether the Wolves in a given region can fulfill their historical job of preying on the big hoofed herbivores...............Buffalo, Caribou, Elk Pronghorns, Moose, Deer and Beaver......................I do not care much if Wolves "cross party lines" and hybridize, as long as they can come to the plate and prey on the large plant eaters, that is all that I think anyone should care about....................If as Linda(perhaps Todd) and so many of their colleagues believe that prior to European contact that both the gray and eastern wolf occupied New England and a fair portion of the Mid-Atlantic States with the bigger Gray preying on Moose, Elk and Woodland Bison and the smaller Eastern Wolf dining on deer, that must have been a sight to behold...........................a bit a "Sereghetti" in the USA and Canada.

Perhaps one day again, this will come to pass........................I for one, hope that it will.

We originally set out to write a piece about wolves and how hunters can manage all wildlife, even large carnivores, under the North American Model of Fish and Wildlife Conservation. We quickly realized that this topic has been "rode hard and put away wet" so to speak. What we discovered, through our own reflection, is that there seems to be an important lesson learned and not being adequately applied by those who hunt – the lesson of the importance of habitat. Yes, elk are significantly reduced in some areas, and, yes, wolves are a factor in that decline. We've all read or heard about it. It's not news. We must remember that in reality, predators are just one part of the big game ecology equation.

Habitat: Big, unbroken, secure chunks of Montana that are interspersed with working landscapes of ranches and farms; the parts of Montana that are relatively free of development. That's what drive wildlife populations. Without those big blocks of open country, we might as well just throw in the towel.

Whether it's noxious weeds, loss of winter habitat due to fragmentation, or the loss of access that helps disperse wildlife across our public lands, it's the habitat, stupid, as the saying goes. Wolves are a being used as the scapegoat for the greater ills that elk and deer face. Combine the loss of forage and cover, the loss of habitat diversity with a reduction in habitat security and then, the reality of too many teeth (canine and human) at the table sets in.

Luckily, Montana has some big, wild country left. Sportsmen have played a major role in protecting many of these places in Montana over the years, but we still need to conserve more of these few, remaining areas to offset the continued loss of habitat to development elsewhere. That's why we worked with the Coalition to Protect the Rocky Mountain Front to develop the Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act.

Habitat conservation means intact and properly functioning ecosystems. To us, it means new Wilderness where appropriate; specially tailored management areas like the Conservation Management Area in the Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act and fighting to make sure our native plant communities have the ability to withstand the onslaught of noxious weeds.

Elimination of predators over habitat conservation is a placebo. In almost every instance where it's been tried, it becomes clear the continual application of expensive predator control measures does little to provide sustainable healthy wildlife populations as opposed to protecting or restoring habitat. Focusing on a single factor rather than the whole cure is a fiscally irresponsible way of spending of our wildlife dollars. Increasing habitat functionality is the conservative, financially prudent way to increase game herds where needed.

For over 100 years, hunters and anglers, have backed habitat conservation through the designation of a series of Game Preserves, establishment of National Forests and National Parks, advocated for the 1964 Wilderness Act, supported Roadless Conservation, all while pouring billions of their own dollars in to state Wildlife Management Areas, Conservation Easements on private land, and through license sales and the excise taxes on new sporting equipment which have helped fund state wildlife management programs. Hunters and anglers support full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, advocated for the Missouri River Breaks National Monument (try and tell us that the breaks aren't a crown jewel when it comes to hunting) and today, we actively and aggressively support other critical landscape conservation efforts. The Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act is a prime example.

It's the habitat, clearly. The Front is a perfect example of a high quality, functioning ecosystem. Elk herds remain healthy, with quite a few B tags being issued to harvest surplus critters. It supports the full suite of predators that existed during the days of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Grizzly bears, wolves and mountain lions are all abundant. In fact, over 10% of the wolf harvest from last year came from the Rocky Mountain Front alone. This wild, unbroken country supports the second largest migratory elk herd in the United States. Some of the biggest mule deer left in Montana come from areas that should be, and hopefully will someday be, designated Wilderness. It's here, along these limestone reefs, that hunters have for over 100 years stood and said, just as Theodore Roosevelt once said; "Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it."

This wildlife factory, the Rocky Mountain Front, has local stewards who have been fighting to preserve the Front for years. They fight to maintain their way of life. They cooperatively fight noxious weeds with their neighbors, their county governments, the Forest Service, Fish, Wildlife and Parks and many, many others.

They have done much, but we need to enlist others to support efforts to maintain the integrity and ecological value of places like the Front. Shouldn't the public, the ones who own the National Forest and BLM lands, share in the responsibility and demonstrate a solid conservation ethic like that of the private landowners? These landowners have collectively conserved 100,000 acres of their own land along the Front. If they see the value in wild landscapes, surely those of us who rely on this same country for our hunting, angling and soul soothing can do the same.

Hunters, watch the wolf, but fight to ensure your kids and their kids can, like you and your father, hunt in that same big sky country. Support the efforts to sustain our wildlife herds and conserve these slowly shrinking and irreplaceable habitats aggressively, whether it's the Front, the Yaak or the Blackfoot. It's not just your heritage to sustain or lose, it's everyone's. Now is the time for hunters to reclaim that golden age, when we stood together and worked towards the conservation of wildlife, not just those species for which we hunt and fish, but for all living creatures.

Skip Kowalski is chairman of the Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat Committee and Tim Aldrich is president of the Montana Wildlife Federation.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Take action to protect the Eastern wolf!Please take a few minutes to send a letter in support of increased protection for Canada's threatened Eastern wolves - your voice will make a difference. Feel free to edit our template letter to reflect your own personal views.

Bill to Ban Two Deadly Agents Introduced in Congress

We are extremely excited about our chances of finally passing this bill to ban these two deadly agents that indiscriminately harm and kill wildlife, pets and people. In the past few years we have garnered significant Congressional support for this legislation and have built a coalition with other environmental organizations that have backed us with their expertise and seasoned political strategists.

Celebrating 20 Years!

December 2009 - From our inception two decades ago, our mission has never changed—we exist to protect our nation's maligned predator species from persecution. Our primary effort has been our fight to dismantle government-sponsored lethal predator control programs.

Every year special interest groups ask for more government funding for lethal predator control that use indiscriminate killing methods. Their war on wildlife knows no bounds. It continues discreetly and routinely bolstered by state wildlife management agencies and the livestock industry, and, unwittingly, by citizens whose tax dollars are misused to kill native wildlife.

Right now we need your help now more than ever, as we are poised to make major progress in banning two deadly agents: M-44s and Compound 1080 (details below).

What We Do

Saving native predators

About Predator Defense

We're working across the West to protect America's native predators—cougars, wolves, coyotes, bears, bobcats, eagles, and other birds of prey. Our efforts include dismantling government-sponsored programs that kill and maim these animals and banning the manufacture and use of deadly devices and poisons. Read more

Your tax dollars at work

The USDA's War on Wildlife

The USDA Wildlife Services predator control program is the only federal program that kills native predators at the request of ranchers and state wildlife management agencies. They use indiscriminate methods that also endanger humans and pets. This program is a primary focus of Predator Defense's legislative work. Read more

Baby bobcat orphan successfullyraised and released

Wildlife Patient Stories

From 1990-1995, Predator Defense operated a wildlife hospital and care center for injured and orphaned predator mammals. Many were successfully released back into the wild. Meet our patients

Animals at Risk

These magnificent predators face a frightening array of threats—habitat loss, hunting, trapping, predator control programs, and the prejudice of those who still see them as villains, rather than as integral members of natural ecosystems.

BROOKS FAHY IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PREDATOR DEFENSE, BASED OUT OF EUGENE, OREGON.............I ENCOURAGE ALL READERS OF COYOTES, WOLVES AND COUGARS FOREVER BLOG TO CHECK OUT THIS GREAT ORGANIZATION AT WWW.PREDATORDEFENSE.ORG

About Us

Our mission is to protect native predators and create alternatives for people to coexist with wildlife.

Revered by the Navaho's as "God's dog," coyotes have been indiscriminately slaughtered to help the sheep industry, which is actually declining due to market forces, not predation.

What We Do

Predator Defense is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization funded solely by member donations. We work to spearhead legislation, disseminate research findings, monitor government agencies, and, when necessary, pursue legal action. We also serve as a resource for reporters, elected officials, and the public.

Our efforts take us into the field, onto America's public lands, to Congress, and into courtrooms. Specific activities include:

Helping people who have been harmed by predator-killing devices and those who have lost pets to any predator control activities.

Working with the press and contributing to documentaries, special news features, conferences, and in classrooms.

Serving as a resource on predator species and wildlife poisons for libraries and databases worldwide.

Collaborating with wildlife scientists to help disseminate results of their research to a broader audience.

Assisting the public and law enforcement agencies in efforts to rescue wildlife that have been injured. In Oregon, we respond to emergency calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from wildlife rehabilitation organizations, law enforcement agencies and the public when wildlife is harmed or endangered by man's activities such as when a bear, cougar, coyote or bobcat is hit by a vehicle.

Monitoring and challenging state and federal wildlife management policies that adversely affect predator species. We work with these agencies in their efforts to protect native predators. When necessary, we pursue litigation that requires agencies to follow laws and regulations established to protect native predators.

Strengthening protection for native predators by providing our elected representatives with information and other support they need to enact laws that protect America's predators.

Collaborating with researchers, other wildlife groups, governmental agencies, elected officials, and others to improve our ability to find solutions that protect predators.

Working with international and local airport authorities to control birds of prey, deer, coyotes, and foxes without killing them.

Helping the public, elected officials, agency personnel, ranchers and others understand that people and predators can peacefully co-exist.

History & Milestones

Began as Cascade Wildlife Rescue, Then Narrowed Focus

Established in 1990, Cascade Wildlife Rescue filled a critical need for predator rehabilitation and predator species protection. Between 1990 and 1994, the organization served two purposes. First, it provided quality rehabilitation for predators including bears, bobcats, cougars, coyotes, and foxes. Secondly, it was an active voice for predator species protection.

Over time finding suitable release sites for rehabilitated animals became increasingly difficult and public management policies were failing to protect predators and their habitat. The rampant use of predator control methods such as leg hold traps, poisons, snares, aerial gunning, bounties, and designated hunting seasons was profoundly impacting existing populations and undermining the second chance for rehabilitated animals. In 1995 the organization closed the rehabilitation center and embarked on a new path--focusing its resources on protecting predator species more broadly.

Endangered lynx soon may have more room to roam, thanks to a ruling by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy, who concluded that large swaths of Western habitat were wrongly excluded from protection.

In particular, the court ruled that tens of thousands of acres in southwest Montana, north and central Idaho and throughout Colorado should have been considered for protection.

"The Endangered Species Act requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to try and recover lynx populations, so they can eventually be removed from the endangered species list," said Michael Garrity. "The previous critical habitat designation fell far short."

Garrity is executive director at the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, which joined three other conservation groups in a lawsuit arguing for more lynx habitat protections.

The secretive cats, which often live in deep forest habitats, were listed as threatened in 2000 and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials immediately began collecting data to determine how much "critical habitat" to designate. Critical habitat provides an additional layer of protection for animals listed under ESA, and helps focus protections on the areas most important to those species.

Initially, the agency planned to designate 18,000 square miles as critical for lynx; but four days before that announcement was made the protected area was slashed to just 1,841 square miles.

The agency eventually admitted that change was politically influenced by a Bush administration employee at USFWS and went back to the drawing board.

The second recommendation - issued in 2009 - suggested that 39,000 square miles in Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington be designated as critical habitat.

But Garrity's group sued - along with Native Ecosystems Council, Center for Native Ecosystems and the Sierra Club - insisting that known lynx habitat had not been included.

***

On Wednesday, Molloy issued a 46-page ruling from his Missoula courtroom, concluding that the agency had, in fact, arbitrarily excluded possible "critical habitat" that is currently occupied by lynx.

The agency had argued those lands were not included because there was no evidence that lynx were reproducing there, "but they didn't necessarily look," Garrity said.

Molloy agreed that while evidence of reproduction can be cause for habitat designation, absence of that same evidence is not necessarily cause for exclusion, especially if the area hasn't been surveyed for breeding animals.

"Basically, he told them to go back and take another look at it," Garrity said. Agency officials were not available for comment Thursday.

The existing habitat designations will remain in place, Molloy ordered, until a new review can be completed.

If all the lands currently excluded were, in fact, designated, Garrity said, it would more than double the size of the critical habitat range.

"We just want them to follow the law in making these decisions," Garrity said. Similar lawsuits helped significantly expand the critical habitat designated for endangered bull trout, he said.

Garrity said the most recent lynx habitat proposal failed to provide essential corridors between populations and protected areas, including Montana lands on the Helena, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Gallatin and Bitterroot national forests.

"We will be watching," Garrity said, "to ensure that the Fish and Wildlife Service do a better job in the future, and designate enough critical habitat that will allow the lynx to recover and eventually be removed from the endangered species list."

Help End Senseless Poisoning of Coyotes and other Wildlife by Compound 1080 and Sodium Cyanide M-44s

~Support H.R. 5643 ~

As citizens concerned for the welfare of our wildlife and for the health of our environment, we have a big opportunity to make a huge difference.

Representatives DeFazio (OR) and Campbell (CA) have introduced H.R. 5643: the Compound 1080 and Sodium Cyanide Elimination Act. This federal bill would effectively ban two deadly poisons — sodium fluoroacetate (commonly known as Compound 1080 and used in the "Livestock Protection Collars" strapped on the necks of sheep or goats that spill the poison when punctured) and sodium cyanide (commonly used in M-44 "coyote-getter" baited poison ejector devices) — which are used primarily by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services program to kill coyotes, foxes, and other wild animals perceived as threats to livestock. In 2008, these two poisons killed nearly 13,000 animals, and persisted in sensitive habitats poisoning our environment.

Banned by previous administrations (and then later re-legalized as a result of pressure from agricultural and livestock interest groups), these poisons have been condemned as cruel, indiscriminate, and dangerous. Non-target victims include domestic dogs, gray wolves, federally protected birds of prey, and even humans.

Because of the dangers and cruelty associated with these poisons, citizens in California (1998) and Washington State (2000) passed ballot initiatives that ban M-44s and Livestock Protection Collars (LPCs) containing Compound 1080. In 1998, after intense public debate, Wildlife Services' program withdrew the agency's registration for use of LPCs containing Compound 1080 in Oregon.

Now we have an opportunity to ban these two deadly poisons! Your voice is needed. Write to your Congressional Representative and urge him or her to protect wildlife from cruel and dangerous poisons by supporting and co-sponsoring H.R. 5643- the Compound 1080 and M-44 Elimination Act.

If you feel your Representative is not receptive to wildlife issues, consider that after 9/11 the FBI listed sodium fluoroacetate as "a highly toxic pesticide judged most likely to be used by terrorists or for malicious intent." According to the FBI, the main criteria for a poison being added to the list are "high dermal or inhalation toxicity, common malicious use reported, and prior use by terrorists." The FBI, the EPA, and the World Health Organization classify Compound 1080 as an "extremely hazardous toxic pesticide."

Yet our tax dollars continue to subsidize the use of these poisons while federal audits by the Office of the Inspector General found that there is improper and unaccountable stockpiling of these lethal substances.

TO SUBMIT COMMENTS ON THIS BILL (and to see if your Representative is already a co-sponsor):

Compound 1080 and M-44s containing sodium cyanide are extremely dangerous and inhumane; death by Compound 1080 is horrific, excruciating, and slow (it usually takes between 3 and 15 hours). Exposure can result in cardiac failure, progressive failure of the central nervous system, or respiratory arrest following severe prolonged convulsions.

Compound 1080 is one of the deadliest poisons on earth and has no antidote;

Livestock Protection Collars are frequently punctured on barbed wire, rocks, and vegetation, spilling the toxin into the environment; animals killed by Compound 1080 are often not found, and their bodies poison other scavengers—including federally protected species.

The EPA classifies Compound 1080 as an "extremely hazardous" toxin that poses a significant hazard to human health and safety and to non-target wildlife. It was for these reasons that the EPA banned Compound 1080 throughout the United States in 1972.

Compound 1080 is a potential terrorist threat to water and food supplies; according to its own records, Wildlife Services cannot account for all the Compound 1080 LPCs it uses.

In addition to these poisons' toll on wildlife, they put public safety at risk; hundreds of pet dogs each year are harmed or killed by M-44s, and humans have also been severely injured by accidentally triggering M-44s or handling poisoned pets.

Paradoxically, killing coyotes can increase their numbers.

Rather than killing predators ranchers should make better use of good husbandry practices such guard animals, electronic sound and light devices, penning animals as night, lambing in structures, promptly removing any carcasses and fencing appropriately. Ethics aside, scientific research shows that is makes more economic sense to implement long-term predator deterrents rather than killing coyotes and other predators each year.

Thank you for helping to end senseless poisoning of coyotes and other wildlife by Compound 1080 and sodium cyanide M-44s!

Please take a few minutes to send a letter in support of increased protection for Canada's threatened Eastern wolves - your voice will make a difference. Feel free to edit our template letter to reflect your own personal views.

The Eastern wolf was designated as a species of special concern under the federal Species at Risk Act in 2001 yet no further steps have been taken to protect its status - a recovery plan is long over due. The government needs to hear that protecting wolves is important to people like you!

One example of the ongoing threats to our forests and forest communities is the aerial spraying of herbicides. This is a standard practice across Ontario's Boreal Forest - after clearcutting herbicides are sprayed to kill off all vegetation that 'competes' with the jack pine or spruce that are planted. This severely impacts biodiversity and the synthetic chemicals have been linked to reproductive changes in amphibians and also have potential health impacts for humans. Why is Ontario continuing with this dangerous practice when Quebec has banned it in forests being logged by many of the same companies?

Over the weekend of September 18th, 2010 Alex Mathias, an Ojibway Elder, will host his annual Changing of the Seasons ceremony to celebrate the fall equinox on his traditional family territory in the Temagami region of Ontario.

On Saturday there will be a Changing of the Seasons ceremony, a group potluck lunch, visits to Spirit Rock, and guided hikes through the old-growth forest. Attendees have the option of participating in group events after the ceremony, exploring the area on their own, or simply enjoying some quiet time on the lake.

Earthroots will be holding a rally at Queen's Park at the end of September to demand greater accountability from the Provincial Government when it comes to protecting and managing our water. As part of the build up to the rally, Earthroots is hosting collaborative strategizing sessions with our volunteers and staff over the summer. We will discuss details, plans and messaging for the event. Get involved!

Check out Earthroots' Etsy store for a wide-assortment of hand-printed, one-of-a-kind t-shirts as well as special vintage pieces! All proceeds go to support Earthroots and our campaigns to protect Ontario's wilderness, wildlife and watersheds.

Summer vintage clothing drive!

Do you want to help support wilderness and wildlife protection without spending a dime? You can do this by simply donating a vintage item or two from your closet to Earthroots (all items must be 20+ years old and in good condition). These pieces will be sold through our Etsy store.

For more information or to co-ordinate a drop-off or pick-up, please contact Audrey by e-mail: audrey@earthroots.org

Don't let Earthroots and the protection of Ontario's wilderness and wildlife become a budget cut this year! We need your financial contribution now more than ever. Please renew your support today through the secure services of CanadaHelps.org by clicking here.

Cloth $49.00

ISBN: 9780226353449 Published December 2009

ISBN: 9780226353470

The cougar is one of the most beautiful, enigmatic, and majestic animals in the Americas. Eliciting reverence for its grace and independent nature, it also triggers fear when it comes into contact with people, pets, and livestock or competes for hunters' game. Mystery, myth, and misunderstanding surround this remarkable creature.

The cougar's range once extended from northern Canada to the tip of South America, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic, making it the most widespread animal in the western hemisphere. But overhunting and loss of habitat vastly reduced cougar numbers by the early twentieth century across much of its historical range, and today the cougar faces numerous threats as burgeoning human development encroaches on its remaining habitat.

When Maurice Hornocker began the first long-term study of cougars in the Idaho wilderness in 1964, little was known about this large cat. Its secretive nature and rarity in the landscape made it difficult to study. But his groundbreaking research yielded major insights and was the prelude to further research on this controversial species.

The capstone to Hornocker's long career studying big cats, Cougar is a powerful and practical resource for scientists, conservationists, and anyone with an interest in large carnivores. He and conservationist Sharon Negri bring together the diverse perspectives of twenty-two distinguished scientists to provide the fullest account of the cougar's ecology, behavior, and genetics, its role as a top predator, and its conservation needs. This compilation of recent findings, stunning photographs, and firsthand accounts of field research unravels the mysteries of this magnificent animal and emphasizes its importance in healthy ecosystem processes and in our lives.

A United Nations report lauding the natural virtues of the Flathead River Valley has given environmentalists and wilderness advocates a big boost in their quest to have the scenic, southeast corner of B.C. set aside as a national park.

Although the valley is adjacent to the long-designated Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in Alberta and Montana, B.C. continues to resist turning the pristine region over to National Parks Canada.

Bill Bennett, the province's Mining Minister, recently added fuel to the controversy by lashing out at park proponents as "urban-based enviros" and "eco-fascists."

Mr. Bennett, local MLA for the area, subsequently apologized for the references, contained in an e-mail sent out to constituency supporters.

In a report released Monday at a UNESCO's World Heritage Committee meeting in Brazil, the UN organization called the uninhabited Flathead watershed "one of the last of America's remaining wild rivers and of global ecological significance."

While stopping short of endorsing the call for a national park, the report said the Flathead region should be regulated by a single conservation and management plan, including those sections in Alberta and Montana.

"This is one of the [continent's] largest, most pristine, intact and best-protected expanses of natural terrain," the report said.

Along with the Waterton and Glacier parks, the valley forms a critical wildlife corridor for a variety of species unmatched in North America, home to the endangered bull trout, the wolverine, the lynx and the largest concentration of grizzly bears in the U.S. and Canada.

After concerted opposition from the State of Montana, the B.C. government issued a cabinet order earlier this year that banned mining in the wilderness area, squelching a long-proposed coal mine.

Hunting, forestry and other industries, however, go on.

"This report is a big international nudge for the government to do more," said Sarah Cox, B.C. spokeswoman for the Sierra Club.

"It's time for British Columbia to step up and permanently protect our part of this remarkable ecosystem that Alberta and Montana have recognized for a long time."

Ms. Cox noted that a timber company is currently preparing to carry out clear-cut logging in the Flathead area, while another business is set to quarry 20,000 tons of rock.

"This report says that not nearly enough is being done to protect wildlife in the region."

Casey Brennan, Southern Rockies Program Manager for the locally based conservation group, Wildsight, echoed these sentiments.

"The report reaffirms what we already knew, that the Flathead's remarkable diversity of wildlife needs increased protection."

In a statement, Naomi Yamamoto, B.C.'s Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations, said she had not yet seen the UNESCO report, and would not comment until it has been discussed by the World Heritage Committee.

Her statement added that B.C. has taken steps to ensure that all activity in the Flathead take place in a manner consistent with protecting the "environmental values of the watershed."

Alberta designates grizzly bears a threatened speciesPopulation and habitat mapping provide key information
Edmonton... The Alberta government has designated grizzly bears as a threatened species in an effort to better protect the bears and sustain the provincial population.

The designation is based on cutting-edge population research and habitat data, as well as a recommendation from the Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC), a group of stakeholders including ranchers, industry, academics, wildlife managers and conservation interests.

"I would like to thank the broad group of partners and staff who assisted in gathering population and habitat information to provide an excellent snapshot of the status of grizzly bears in Alberta," said Mel Knight, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. "Their research allowed a thorough population assessment and has provided the necessary baseline to compare future work."

An independent scientist prepared an updated status report that incorporates a broad range of population and habitat information. This information included Alberta government-sponsored DNA population surveys and satellite mapping of core and secondary habitat. The ESCC recommended the designation based on criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which address population size, population declines, the extent of species' distribution, how much area is occupied, and potential natural and human-related threats to the populations.

Grizzly bears were recognized in Alberta as a species that may be at risk as early as 2000. A recovery plan was initiated in 2002, followed by steps to collect better population and habitat data. Government committed to improving data gathering, reducing human-bear interactions and managing habitat. The DNA population survey technique, used in B.C., and throughout the U.S., was used in Alberta as the primary tool to reliably document grizzly bear populations. The recovery plan was published in early 2008.

Future conservation actions under Alberta's Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan include enhancing the province's BearSmart programs, coordinating research and limiting access to selected roads in grizzly bear habitat. In specific Wildlife Management Units, the hunt may resume once the recovery plan criteria for population and wildlife management objectives have been met. The hunt has been suspended since 2006.

"We share this province with grizzly bears and are committed to ensuring grizzly bears remain part of Alberta's landscape," said Knight. "We have been working directly with stakeholders and the public to reduce human-bear interactions and help control access to habitat. Everyone living, working in or just visiting bear habitat has a role to play in conservation."

For more information on grizzly bear management in the province, including a report on 2009 Grizzly Bear Management Activities and Recovery Implementation, visit www.srd.alberta.ca.

The Alberta government designated grizzly bears as threatened based on the grizzly bear's low rates of reproduction, habitat quality and estimated population of 691 across Alberta, excluding portions of Banff and Jasper national parks.

The Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan In 2002, the Alberta government established a Grizzly Bear Recovery Team, which drafted a grizzly bear recovery plan that was published in 2008. Some recommendations have been completed while others are ongoing.

Completed

Ongoing

Grizzly bear population data and habitat map

Use map information to manage access in habitat

Establish BearSmart programs

Establish BearSmart communities

Hire a carnivore specialist

Invest about $1 million per year for grizzly bear management

Train staff and establish Bear Response Teams

Improve data management and analysis

Revise management of problem grizzly bears

Suspend the hunt

In specific Wildlife Management Units, the hunt may resume once the recovery plan criteria for population and wildlife management objectives have been met. The grizzly bear recovery plan can be found at www.srd.alberta.ca and click on Biodiversity & Stewardship > Species at Risk > Recovery Program > Recovery Plans.

BearSmart
BearSmart is a public awareness program for people living, working in or visiting bear territory. The goals are to:

help Albertans to make safe decisions in bear territory;

help people prevent bear encounters and respond appropriately in a bear encounter; and

communities in grizzly bear country - Canmore, Bragg Creek, Crowsnest Pass, and Mountain View County - and the program is under development with a range of BearSmart activities in Slave Lake, Fox Creek, Grande Cache, Hinton, Edson, Cadomin, Nordegg, and the Southwest Agricultural Initiative.

For more information about BearSmart, visit www.srd.alberta.ca and click on Recreation & Public Use.

Designating endangered or threatened species
Using information in detailed status reports, the Scientific Subcommittee of the Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC) assesses the risk of extinction or extirpation for Alberta species identified as potentially at risk. The Scientific Subcommittee evaluation is presented to the ESCC, which then recommends a status designation to the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. The Minister has the final responsibility for legally designating species as threatened or endangered under the Wildlife Act.

Following legal designation, recovery plans are required within one year for endangered species and within two years for threatened species.

Definitions

Data Deficient: A species for which there is insufficient scientific information to support status designation.

Species of Special Concern: A species with characteristics that make it particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.

Species at risk: A species at risk of extinction or extirpation (threatened or endangered),
or a species that needs special management attention to prevent it from becoming at risk.

Threatened: A species likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not reversed.

Endangered: A species facing immediate extirpation or extinction.

Extirpated: A species no longer existing in the wild in Alberta, but occurring elsewhere in the wild.

Extinct: A species that no longer exists.

Other threatened species in Alberta
Other threatened species in Alberta include the peregrine falcon, western silvery minnow, trumpeter swan and northern leopard frog.

Each of these threatened species has a recovery plan prepared by recovery teams of species experts, wildlife and land managers, and stakeholders who would potentially be impacted by recommended recovery actions.

Recovery plans can be found at www.srd.alberta.ca and click on Biodiversity & Stewardship > Species at Risk > Recovery Program > Recovery Plans.

We are in the process of changing our name from the Eastern Cougar Foundation to the Cougar Rewilding Foundation. Chris Spatz' lead article explains. The new name will be phased in gradually. We don't expect the website and possibly the logo to be changed until as late as January 2011.

HELEN AND CHRIS SPATZ HAVE BEEN FRIENDS OF COYOTES.WOLVES AND COUGARS FOREVER SINCE INCEPTION AND WE SUPPORT THEIR WORK!!!!!!!!

Wolves: The debate is seldom rational

Essay - July 27, 2010 by Wendy Beye

The wolf pot continues to boil in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Now, another state has been added to the stew. In Oregon, environmentalists are protesting the piecemeal removal of wolves from the Endangered Species list, hunters want less competition from wolves, and ranchers complain that wolves are killing their livestock. In eastern Oregon, where there is only one known breeding wolf pack, a federal judge temporarily halted a kill order on two of the pack's members. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife had hoped the targeted kill would "send a message to the pack to not kill livestock and change the pack's behavior."

Meanwhile, in Montana, the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks announced the wolf harvest quota for the 2010 hunting season would rise to 186, up from 75 last year. The quota does not include the increasing number of wolves shot for bad behavior -- 145 in 2009. Since the estimated number of wolves in Montana is only 525, the state will soon see a reduction in the wolf population if the hunt goes as planned. When the public was asked to comment on the proposal to increase the total harvest, 1,500 comments flooded in -- a clear sign that wolves remain a hot issue.

Federal District Court Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula, Mont., is feeling that heat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to de-list wolves in Montana, Idaho, Utah, Washington and Oregon before Wyoming adopts an approved wolf management plan has been challenged by Defenders of Wildlife, among other groups. The stress level in Molloy's courtroom on the day he heard oral arguments was so high that one lawyer fainted, and the proceedings were suspended until she could be revived. A decision is expected this fall, so the question of hunting quotas may become moot if wolves are re-listed as an endangered species in all states where they live or roam.

Meanwhile, I continue to marvel at our ability to ignore facts about wolves while jumping on one bandwagon or another. A case in point: It was coyotes and not wolves that killed 23 lambs on a Bitterroot Valley ranch last month. The news article appeared in only one local newspaper and drew no comment from readers. Coyotes seem to have no champions on the environmentalist side of the issue, and ranchers take coyote depredation in stride, viewing it simply as a cost of doing business.

But earlier, a report of a wolf pack killing four miniature horses and chewing on an irrigation hose resulted in the pack being summarily executed. Last year, Montana's Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation Board paid out $142,000 to ranchers who filed for wolf depredation losses -- headline news! -- while no reparations were made for losses from coyotes, domestic dogs, mountain lions or eagles. In addition, the 56,000 sheep that died from non-predator causes went mostly unnoticed by the public.

It's obvious that wolves are not the only culprits here. The Associated Press reported that invasive weeds cause $415,000 in livestock production losses, plus undetermined reductions in wild game populations each year on Montana's Rocky Mountain Front alone. That information doesn't seem to bother either ranchers or hunters, nor has it corralled any new money for weed eradication.

Because many hunters remain convinced that wolves hurt hunting success, Montana State University studied elk to discover why populations decline in some areas and increase in others. The findings were perhaps surprising: Elk were more bothered by human activities -- including hunting and residential activity -- than by wolves.

In any case, vehicles bump off more wild game than predators do. But I haven't heard of any plans to eradicate cars or drivers.

I find that my sympathies are divided. In late winter, I walk daily on a lane that skirts a calving pasture on a local ranch. I've seen wolves crossing through the herd without even looking at the calves or cows; they're concentrating on pocket gophers and meadow voles for breakfast. The cows likewise ignore the wolves. The ranch manager worries that one day the wolves will sample a cute little black calf instead of their usual prey. I share his concern, but I also don't want to see another wolf killed.

When I watch wolves in the wild as they go about the tough business of survival, I know that they belong here. They should never again be exterminated, as they were in the 1930s. No matter how difficult the process, I hope wildlife managers, hunters, ranchers and environmentalists find a balance so that we can continue to live together.

Wendy Beye is a contributor to Writers on the Range, a service of High Country News (hcn.org). She is an airplane pilot in western Montana who has tracked wolves since they first crossed the border between Canada and Montana in the 1980s.

Monday, July 26, 2010

U.S. Congress urged to help save world's last wild cats and dogs

WHILE I NORMALLY TRY TO STAY TIGHTLY FOCUSED ON OUR "WILD AMERICA AND IT'S INDIGENOUS WILDLIFE, THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THE CHALLENGING STATE OF AFFAIRS THAT US 6 BILLION HUMAN PREDATORS ARE PLACING ON OUR FELLOW EARTH TRAVELERS..............THE WILD DOGS, CATS AND BEARS OF PLANET EARTH:

Can wild cats and dogs be the guardians of vital sources of freshwater and other natural resources for humans?

Conservationists pressing for urgent protection of the world's last big cats and rare canids in the wild think this is one of many good reasons why the U.S. Congress should help protect such keystone species before they disappear.

Eighty percent of all wild cat species and 25 percent of wild canids (the family of foxes, wolves and wild dogs) are in decline and in urgent need of assistance, a coalition of wildlife conservation organizations said in a report released today.

The cats and canids at risk are "amazing iconic species," said Jeffrey Flocken, International Fund for Animal Welfare director for the District of Columbia, in a conference call with the media today. Of the 72 living species, 37 are facing decliining populations, 17 are stable, the population status is unknown for 13--and only 4 species are increasing, he said.

Click on image above to enlarge the page from The Fading Call of the Wild.

The Ethiopian wolf survives on a handful of remote mountaintops, said Claudio Silero, canid specialist and IUCN Canid Group chair, who was also on the media call. Such places also happen to be the sources of freshwater for many people downstream, as far away as neighboring countries, he added. Conserving the wolves in their habitat would in effect also start to restore the ecosystems that serve people, he said.

The point was echoed by Luke Hunter, wild cat specialist and executive director of Panthera. Top carnivores are umbrella species at the top of complicated food webs, as well as being "fantastic icons" for entire ecosystems that provide water quality and other benefits that extend to humans, Hunter said.

Click on image above to enlarge the page from The Fading Call of the Wild.

"Faced with a striking loss of habitat and prey due to over-development of land and direct killing by poachers and others who see them as a threat, wild cats such as lions, cheetahs and snow leopards, and wild dogs like the Ethiopian wolf and bush dog face an uncertain future," the organizations said in a news release accompanying the report, The Fading Call of the Wild.

The report focuses specifically on 15 species that are considered ecologically vital, detailing their current numbers in the wild, changes to the population in the last ten years, and conservation solutions for improving their status. "The 15 species were chosen because they are considered umbrella species that, if conserved appropriately, protect their corresponding landscapes and other species dependent on those ecosystems," the statement explains.

Click on image above to enlarge the page from The Fading Call of the Wild.

The Fading Call of the Wild calls for increasing conservation resources and swift policy changes, specifically passage of the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act that would provide conservation assistance to the 15 species highlighted in the report.

The Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act

Introduced in July 2004, the measure would give conservation assistance modeled after existing Multinational Species Conservation Funds, which work to conserve species deemed by Americans to be of special global value, but simultaneously endangered with extinction.

The sponsoring conservation groups hope that the findings of the report The Fading Call of the Wild generate renewed interest in the Act which is currently stalled in the Senate despite support from more than 80 scientific, animal welfare, conservation, outdoor recreation organizations, zoos and aquariums. Passed by the House over a year ago, the bill must pass this year or expire.

First introduced in July 2004, and set to expire this year unless the Senate takes action, the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act would provide wild cats and canids the same type of conservation assistance presently supporting tigers, great apes, elephants, sea turtles and other iconic species through the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service," the organizations said in their statement. "The funds were designed to conserve species deemed by Americans to be of special global value, but simultaneously endangered with extinction."

Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are leading the charge to usher the bill through their chamber this Congress, the organizations added. "The House passed the measure in April 2009 with a two-thirds majority and bipartisan support led by Reps. Jay Inslee (WA-01), Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) and the International Conservation Caucus. The Act is supported by more than 80 scientific, animal welfare, conservation, outdoor recreation organizations, zoos and aquariums."

Panthera's Luke Hunter, an author of The Fading Call of the Wild, said: "This is a call to action for legislators and anyone who believes that we have a responsibility to conserving these important species. The approach is really quite simple. We must protect the land in which these animals live, and their prey. And we must prevent human- animal conflicts that often result in the cat or canid's demise. Most importantly, saving wild cats and dogs is an intelligent way to save the habitats and eco-systems that are most at risk today. Our fight to save big cats is a means to preserve forever these iconic species, but to also preserve a meaningful portion of our natural spaces."

Click on image above to enlarge the page from The Fading Call of the Wild.

Actress Glenn Close, who is the founding member of Panthera's Conservation Council, contributed the foreword for the report and noted, "Whether it is the iconic African lion or the shy Darwin's fox, these animals hold an important place in the landscapes they occupy. They are all ecosystem guardians. As predators, they maintain healthy functioning places, and their absence negatively affects wildlife and people. Not only would losing these species have drastic ecological and economic impacts, I believe their loss will impact us in ways we aren't event able to yet articulate."

"Many species of the great cats and rare canids are the core group at risk of being lost from the wild forever. If that happens, it would be a profound tragedy for humankind. They are the font of our myths and imagination. They represent powers and sensibilities that have fascinated, challenged and inspired us since the dawn of time. They are intertwined with human culture, religion, art and literature, and they have impacted how we view ourselves in this ever-changing world.

"There's a reason why we've domesticated their not-so-distant cousins, making them our trusted confidants and steadfast, loving companions. A distant ancestral pull compels us to bring them in, reminding us of a wilder place and time when our species depended on each other for survival."

--Glen Close, in the foreword to The Fading Call of the Wild.

Highlights from The Fading Call of the Wild:

A century ago there were as many as 200,000 lions living in Africa, today there are fewer than 30,000. Lions are now extinct from 26 countries that they formerly occupied. The single greatest threat to lions is killing by people who own livestock. Herders and ranchers shoot, trap and poison lions across their range.

There are fewer than 500 Darwin's Fox living today. The animals are found only in Chile and their restricted distribution makes them highly vulnerable to extinction. The gentle and curious canids are not fearful of people which contributes to their endangerment, however timber exploration and land development are the two biggest factors that have pushed the animals to the brink.

There are fewer than 7,000 snow leopards in the wild today. Snow leopard poaching is rampant with their bones and hides frequently confiscated in illegal shipments of wildlife parts bound for markets in China and throughout Asia.

Fewer than 500 Ethiopian wolves remain with more than half found in the Bale Mountains. These highly social animals live in packs which makes them especially vulnerable to rabies outbreaks. Small, isolated populations face rapid loss of habitat to subsistence agriculture.

Formerly ranging across Africa south of the Sahara African wild dogs exist in less than seven percent of their historic range, and are extinct in 22 countries that they formerly inhabited. Persecution, accidental snaring and rabies have decimated populations throughout Africa, and fewer than 8,000 of these animals remain

Sunday, July 25, 2010

July/August edition, 2010 Remember to check for updates and "Wolves in the News" on our website at www.canadianwolfcoalition.comJ u l y / A u g u s t e d i t i o n , 2 0 1 0 This July the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) released a Review of "The State of Canada's Parks". It indicates that the list of species at risk of extinction in Canada is growing, & that the proximal cause of this risk is "lack of adequate protection for their habitats". The CWC is in complete agreement with the solutions suggested, ranging from "expanding park borders…; establishing conservation corridors to connect parks…; curtailing harmful activities within parks…". In other words, not only wolves but all of Canada's wildlife needs MORE, BIGGER, and CONNECTED protected parks. This is in accordance with our Buffer Zone campaign for the national parks in the Central Rockies. Featured in the report was the Eastern wolf, a good news story for wolves in Algonquin Provincial Park as CPAWS played a key role in establishing zones of protection in counties around the park. To view the full report visit: http://cpaws.org/news/archive/2010/07/parksreport.php

CAMPAIGN UPDATE : Opposing Predator Control for Mountain Caribou recovery in BC….the efforts to increase public awareness continue at the Northern Lights Wolf Centre where over 1,000 signatures have been collected from the sign-on letter put together by Valhalla Wilderness and Animal Alliance. These will be submitted in the fall when we meet with our MLA Norm MacDonald to discuss this issue again. In the meantime, we have received a response from BC and Federal Ministers of Environment to a letter submitted by us and other groups in November 2009. This will soon be posted on the CWC website, along with our reply.

New promises have been made to protect the Boreal forest across Canada, but will it be enough and will the protection come into effect soon enough to help dwindling caribou herds? Several groups, including the CWC are irate with exceptions still being granted for mineral exploration within habitat designated as "protected". (See website under

Wolves in the News). There should be no exemptions for resource extraction of any kind, nor commercial recreation or development in areas called "protected".

Lichen it or not….wilderness is a delicate balance.

Indeed, hunting and trapping of wildlife is allowed in most provincial parks in BC and other Canadian provinces too! In BC wolves and coyotes are grouped as Class 3 furbearers r

"The European Union has done more to protect Canada's grizzly bears by banning the import of their fur than our own government" –Casey Black2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity, designated by the IUCN as a global issue. As biodiversity is explored in greater depth, the issues of hybridization and speciation are analyzed and argued over, with Eastern wolves, grey wolves and coyotes being a prime example. Do we consider genes, body measurements, or behaviour when determining a species? And how do these definitions affect wildlife management decisions for "conservation"?

To view the presentations and learn about the topics covered at the Midwest Wolf Stewards Conference in Dorset, Ontario this past April visit:

The June edition of Canadian Geographic suggested coyotes may be saving eastern wolves from extinction (through interbreeding). It is important to recognize which species is still driving such threats even if this (cont'd)

explanation is valid, (ie.

homo sapiens). A talk done by Linda Rutledge from Trent University at the Ontario conference presented a slide "Forest clearing & wolf eradication led to eastern invasion by western coyotes". Rutledge also points to the important fact that Canada's "Endangered Species Act and COSEWIC think in terms of species and population size". This was also discussed at the conservation conference in Edmonton this July. The recently released book "The World of Wolves; New perspectives on ecolgy, behaviour & management" discusses the confusion generated when Canis is considered as a species, subspecies, hybrid, etc. and how this applies to conservation management.

The Lords of Nature screening was a great success at the Northern Lights Wolf Centre's annual open house. Over 200 people attended the event, and several joined in the discussion with our panel of local experts. Many thanks goes out to the individuals who made this happen, sharing the table together were a Parks Canada carnivore specialist, local hunter experienced in nature & the outdoors, a wolf conservationist from NLW, a young woman representing youth/ future, a wildlife photographer / author from Switzerland who has observed ecosystems with and without top predators maintaining the balance. Check out our website to view the ACTION ALERT generated for the event!

Maps below indicate the need for wolf buffer zones in Canada's Central Rockies. Dotted lines indicate national park boundaries, coloured sections represent wolf pack territories extending outside. INSIDE these parks there are highways and railways, millions of tourists each year, and more focus on visitor experience instead of ecological integrity. Dr. Paul Paquet has described them as "ghetto parks". Watch for Peter Dettling's upcoming book release "The Will of the Land", where he relates stories of wildlife struggling to survive in these "protected areas". He has timed the release of the book to coincide with Banff National Park's 125th anniversary.

Two Massachusetts Eastern Coyotes at their den site

Eastern Wolf in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

Aldo Leopold--3 quotes from his SAN COUNTY ALMANAC

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."

Aldo Leopold

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold

''To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering."

Wildlife Rendezvous

Like so many conscientious hunters and anglers come to realize, good habitat with our full suite of predators and prey make for healthy and productive living............Teddy Roosevelt depicted at a "WILDLIFE RENDEZVOUS"

Recent Posts

Blog Disclaimer

This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer. In addition, my thoughts and opinions change from time to time…I consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind. This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point in time snapshot and manifestation of my various thoughts and opinions, and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed within out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those I may hold today. All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Rick Meril and WWW.COYOTES-WOLVES-COUGARS.COM make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.